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Norravägg
The High Kingdom of Norravägg '''is the oldest human kingdom in Eroris, dating back to the First Era. Renowned around the continent for its enormous Wall of Orrin. Also known as the '''Kingdom of Norravägg, 'Norravägg', Cradle of Mankind, or simply the North. Norravägg is currently a province located within the Ashen Empire, however currently is in civil war. Norravägg was once the first kingdom of man, arriving from a long forgotten continent and uniting under the banner of Orrin Stormcrown. Norravägg was a powerful kingdom that boasted being the harsh home of Mankind as well as superior warriors, leaders, and craftsmen. As well as astounding works of architecture such as Orrin's Wall and the Great Hall of Ålereid, in fact the castles and keeps and ruins that spot the landscape of the tundras of Norravägg are feats in their own right. Governed from the cradle of man itself, Ålereid, the High King rules the High Kingdom of Norravägg, while vassals called Jarls swear fealty to him. After a tragedy near the end of 1st Era, the kingdom of Norravägg began on a slow decline in wealth, strength, and power, allowing it to be conquered by the rising power of the Mayaar Empires. When the Ashen Empire eventually arrived in the Fourth Norravägg, like all Eroris, experienced the joy and prosperity of the Golden Age under the Ashen dynasty but that changed after the death of Alaro III and the decline of the Empire. When the Akounate arrived, Norravägg joined in the defense against the invaders and when the Akounate arrived at the the Wall of Orrin, they found themselves repelled by it's might and the strength of it's defenders. History and Lore Records kept in the Ancient Library of Ålereid date back to the Age of Legends tell much of the story of Norravägg and it's stories. The Age of Legends Before the beginning of the Age of Legends, humans arrived in what would be known as Norravägg from the Forgotten Continent with new technologies and the forgotten art of Rune Magic. Sources dispute if they arrived from the Northern Sea or the Lightning Sea however what is known that afterwards, many petty kingdoms sprouted up along the tundra in places like Tarnak, Ålereid, Årgin, and Wolfhelm as people sought safety from giants, liches, and the great Frost dragon. During these turbulent times known as the Age of Kings in Norravägg was and remains the province's most turbulent times. During this time, seven kings ruled supreme in Norravägg. The Red Kings of the Redwood, The Wolf Kings of Wolf's Den, The Hawk King of Snowhawk, the Storm King of Stormgard, the Stone King of Åleried, and the Sea King of Karnak. The sons of Norravägg split their own blood, even as invasive Eldyaar came from the south. This all changed with the coming of Norravägg's first King, Orrin Stormcrown. The Era of the Stormcrown The Mythical first King of Norravägg, Orrin Stormcrown, holds many legends however there is no record of when the king was born or how old he was when he united Norravägg. What knowledge scholars have been able to recover is that he rose to power as King of Åleried through his previous conquests as Storm King, he went on to conquer all of Norravägg and pushed the Eldyaar out of the North. With Nords, Runemasters, Golems, and Giants in his ranks he constructed the greatest fortification known to Eroris to date. The Wall of Orrin as it is called was built over a stretch of plains inbetween Norravägg and the Reach to defend it from invaders. The structure was built with a series of forts along the wall most of which haven fallen into disrepair over the years. During Orrin's time he is greatest known for his battles with the Frost Dragon, recorded in the Saga of Orrin before and after he was king of Norravägg. However the pinnacle of this came in their final legendary battle where King Orrin lost his leg in exchange for the Frost Dragon's life. Taking it's magic imbued bones and scales for many different things. From Orrin's Dragonbone axe, His Dragonscale cloak, and most importantly, the Dragon Crown of Norravägg. All these items soon would become lost to the ages due to an event long remembered as Norravägg's tradgedy that occurs not long after. The Wars of the Stormcrowns While Orrin's son Bjorn and Ulfric reigned and Norravägg prospered, at the untimely death of Ulfric, Orrin's grandson, and no heir apparent, but many claimants, the Wars of the Stormcrown began. Ten succession wars began from the death of Ulfric due to what many to believe the vengeance of the Frost Dragon. However from the conflict, many of the ruined castles and settlements fell to ruin from these wars, many noble houses fell and died away and most of the population of Norravägg died away in these wars which Norravägg has yet to fully recover from. However in the final war, the greatest catastrophe took place, an event still unknown to the world caused the death of most of House Stormcrown except for those of very distant relation and the collapse of the legendary castle of Stormgard, the believed location where Orrin battled the Frost Dragon fro the last time. Since the fall of Stormgard, the ruins are rarely visited nor settled due to a strange curse upon those whom try to settle or stay too long near the ruins. Those who do will receive a painful death very soon from the day they gained the curse. The Aftermath and Eras Going By After the final War of the Stormcrown, Eroris passed on to the Second Era, and Norravägg worked to recover from it's tragedy under many new successor houses that would occasionally rise in civil war for the capital city and the kingdom. Orrin's era was gone and with it Rune Magic, the runmasters that had survived past the Wars of the Stormcrown found themselves incapable of teaching any new students their art and died away with much of their knowledge. As Norravägg struggle to survive with civil wars and struggles to provide enough food, the south grew wealthy and powerful, in particular the various Empires made by the Elves of the Vale. The Ashen Empire Near the beginning of the Fourth Era, House Blackhammer ruled from Tarnak when the forces of Alaro Ashen came to conquer Norravägg, which had stood in the face of Empires for generations. The High King of Norravägg at the time Ylgrim the Black at first laughed at the impossibility that Alaro could break through the walls of Norravägg, to which Alaro uttered those famous words: "Impossible? Only if you don't try." Alaro Ashen and his army were able to break through the walls of Norravägg that had stood closed for centuries. Ylgrim Blackhammer wisely decided to bend the knee to Alaro, brining Norravägg under the fold of the Ashen Empire. Under the wise rule of the Ashen Dynasty, Norravägg experienced a Golden Age of the likes never seen. It looked as if the days of Orrin Stormcrown were returning to reality. This all changed with the death of Alaro III Ashen which led to the end of the Ashen dynasty and the unification of Eroris. The Ember Interregnum Norravägg, like the rest of Eroris, was dragged into the long and bloody Ember Interregnum, in which many warlords sought control of the Ember Throne and the Ashen Empire. During this time the provinces of the Empire Alaro had built began to secede, beginning the decline of the wealth and power of the Ashen Empire. The Arrival of the Akounate and Defending Norravägg When the foreign alliance of the Akounate arrived in Mirfuhn, the Nords recognized the strength they must have had to even sneak past and take over the lands of the Dwarves. They immediately began to prepare for the worst and arming for war, with the King Igmund Redbeard leading the preparations. After their cousins whom had gained succesion the Reach joined the Akounate against the Empire, Orrin's Wall held strong with Igmund leading the defense on the walls while the rest of the Empire fell to its knees until Isnhirion where the Emperor of the Ashen Empire led a renewed defense which ended the war and secured the Akounate inside Mirfuhn. Present Day After the Great War, Igmund Redbeard, like many Redbeards before him came to cater and favor the Elves and live in luxury in Ålereid. After the death of Omoris II and his son rising to the throne and calling his vassals to swear fealty. Led by Jarl Valdr Hrafn alongside Jarl Alaric Norskov, declared rebellion against the Ashen Empire and the Kingdom of Norravägg in order to form a free Norravägg. While in Isnhirion, Valdr faced Igmund in a trial by combat which Valdr had won and then worked alongside a motley of other outlaws and enemies of the Empire through the sewers of Isnhirion and to the city of Yherion where the rebel Lords set sail with a mercenary captain for Tarnak as their armies marched for Tarnak by land, first facing a battle to begin at the mountain pass fortress of Last Refuge. Geography WIP